FlorenceMom.com Blogs

(2021 Update: Currently, they are not hosting birthday parties anymore. This is an old review.)

There is a new Tae Kwon Do Center in town and they are offering an awesome birthday package for kids parties!

You can host a 2 hour birthday party at Master J. Kim's U.S. Tae Kwon Do Center a really reasonable price! For up to 15 participating kids, the special birthday boy or girl and the guests get to enjoy fun games, bounce house and activity, pizza & drink, birthday cake, fun martial arts lesson and board breaking! This is all inclusive and hosted at Master J Kim's U.S. Tae Kwon Do center!


(This is how the private party room looks like and pizza, drinks and cake are enjoyed halfway through the party. This is all inclusive!) 


We got to personally enjoy this party earlier this afternoon and it was the most fun party we had at a kids party! Within 2 hours, the kids got to participate in games, learn a bit about Tae Kwon Do, play in their in-house bounce houses, enjoy pizza, drinks and cake and end with a board breaking exercise! Every kids gets to participate and they all had a great time! 

Located at 1657 W. Palmetto St., Florence, SC 29501, it is located in the same shopping center as Kimbrell's furniture. All activities of Master J. Kim's U.S. Tae Kwon Do Center take place indoors so rain or shine, the kids will enjoy a very fun and interactive birthday party! Call 843-468-5113 for questions about scheduling your kid's next birthday party. 

See my top suggestions for Kid's Birthday Parties in Florence, South Carolina

The kids play area just opened 5 days ago at the Magnolia Mall and we gave it a try today! We love that it is located at the food court because that makes it easier to grab a snack or lunch before the kids play. It is sort of hidden but it's located on the farthest left side of the food court, right next to the Japanese/hibachi part. (This is one of 3 slides there.)

The whole kids play area is sea-themed with 3 slides and a few other sea creatures like this whale, that the little ones can climb on. Shoes are not allowed so the kids will need to remove their shoes. There are shoe storage areas underneath the cushioned benches. Food and drinks are not allowed inside. However, there are some seating with stools right outside where you can get a great view of your kiddos playing. I think the sign said you must also be 42 inches or smaller to play. 

Other tips: 

• Hand sanitizers are not provided so make sure you bring some of your own or some wipes. 
• If you have a double stroller and don't have any other adult helping you, park at the Dick's Sporting Goods store entrance. They have automatic wide double doors and that is especially helpful when you have your hands full. Dick's Sporting Goods is located directly across from the food court. Also, there is not a lot of traffic from this particular side of the parking lot because this is on the backside of the mall so you don't have to worry about too many crazy cars driving around as the kids cross the way to the entrance. 
• Buy food and drinks before you let the kids play. That way, you don't have to worry about dragging them out mid-way and you can start chowing down immediately after they start playing.
• You are always welcome to bring a packed lunch from home. No rules against that.
• Use the restrooms that are next to Justice, just 10 yards down the way. They are bigger with usually less wait. The women's restroom on this side has a diaper change station too. The ones next to Chic Fil A are always busy, even though they said they are "family" restrooms. 

2024 Update: Google reports that The Little Gym in Florence is now closed.

I took my 9 month old baby to a trial class for his age group at the Little Gym in Florence 2 days ago. I was thoroughly impressed and I was glad there were 7 other babies there that he could interact with while we were there. He learned to climb over obstacles with my help, some gymnastics and had some baby social time. The instructor was very knowledgeable and friendly. It seems pricey for 45 minutes but you really only need 45 minutes of active gym time for these kids and that is what this class supplied. It's well worth it. My son was super pooped by the end of the class. What was even more impressive was he bravely climbed on our sofa successfully by himself later that night for the first time! 

If your baby or kid is not in a daycare or preschool, I really suggest you try a trial to see if this class is for you! The trial is free. 

What I am really looking forward to utilizing is their Parents' Survival Nights/Outings where they will watch kids for an evening for 3 hours for a really good rate. They always schedule these on a Friday or Saturday. Importantly, your kid will need to be potty-independent. To see a more detail entry about The Little Gym of Florence, go to: http://www.florencemom.com/florence-mom-blogs/little-gym-in-florence-sc-promotes-early-physical-developmental-skills-for-babies-toddlers-preschoolers-and-grade-school-kids

Here are suggestions below for Valentine's Day in Florence!

Downtown Florence area:

1. Town Hall (101 W. Evans) - This is hands down the most romantic and maybe expensive of the bunch but with a rooftop bar called The Dispensary, this place is hard to beat and the food is top notch. Make sure to make a reservation! Click here, to see a detailed blog on what we ordered and pictures of Town Hall.  (Rooftop bar is only open when weather is favorable.)
2. Victors Bistro (126 W. Evans) - Located inside of the boutique hotel called Hotel Florence, you'll instantly feel like you're going to a very special place as you enter their doors. Service is excellent and the decor is beautiful. The food is always reliable with quality ingredients and they've been around Florence for many years. 
3. Flavors of India (137 E. Palmetto St) - If you love Indian food and curries, Flavors of India will not disappoint the palate that crazes spice! Everything is authentic and the food tastes amazing! For lunch, they usually have the buffet which is perfect if you want to have a variety of things. Their naan bread is usually hot and fresh. Remember if you're not used to Indian food, there is a lot of dairy in curries. If you're lactose intolerant, then you may want to check to see if your stomach can handle spice and dairy at the same time before coming here. For those who can, this place is a happy place.

For our 4th wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with a dinner reservation at the newest restaurant in downtown Florence called Town Hall. 

Once we stepped inside Town Hall, I couldn't believe I was still in Florence. The restaurant felt modern and urban and even the people looked like they poshed up! It was a busy night and the service was still excellent. Here was what we ordered. (Pictures below.) 

This was from their specialty cocktail menu. It was mixed very well and I felt a buzz just after drinking half of it. My husband ordered a beer from their draft on tap. 

This was the fried clams appetizer that my husband and I shared before our entree. The batter was very good and extra crunchy. 

 I didn't feel like eating meat that night so I ordered the vegetable plate as my entree. It was very filling but I felt like the rice was more mushy than how I usually like it. I probably won't order this again.


My husband ordered the quail entree. The quail was fried and that wasn't stated on the menu so we were surprised. The batter was the same as the one used for the fried clams that we ordered as an appetizer. 

We shared the banana rum bread pudding as our dessert and it was fantastic. It was topped with salted caramel ice cream and was a perfect ending to our meal. 

The ambiance of Town Hall was so romantic that I would love to come back here again. Because we can't afford to eat here often, I hope that my husband will take me here for dinner again on another special occasion. 
(Waiting area inside Town Hall Restaurant)

After dinner, we climbed up the stairs to The Dispensary, a rooftop bar that is also part of the Town Hall restaurant. Once we were up there, the cool fresh wind immediately hit my face and gosh, really made me excited about entering this part of the building. The rooftop has 3 levels with plenty of room for large groups to gather. After having a conversation with a couple that we bumped into, we decided to check out the downtown view on the very top level for a few minutes before returning back home so we can relieve our babysitter early. Dinner was wonderful and the view from the rooftop bar was extraordinary, but I was starting to miss my kids after 2 hours. 

It was the best anniversary dinner I've ever had in Florence!